


Songbird

by orphan_account



Series: Voices of Heroes [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: A character is dead here, Also Morgan doesn't exist, And Chrom won't fucc him, Angst with a Happy Ending, Because Robin is a single lady, Doomed Timelines, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Happy Ending, Mentions of Sleeping Issues, Mild Language, No Romance, Platonic Relationships, Singing, also chrom/robin is v small in this story but chrom likes robin and his sweet ass, although frederick and lissa are together, but they're together, i dont say it directly, im lost on tags, just thought id say that, ok im done, ok now im done, so enjoy shitpost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-08-12 02:32:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7916992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucina can't sleep properly to save her life, and it has always been a problem before the Rise of Grima and before she returned to the past. Robin is the only person who manages to help her through these times.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Songbird

**Author's Note:**

> GET THE TITLE YOU GUYS BECAUSE SONGBIRD AND ROBIN = BIRD IM SO FUCKING FUNNY PFFFFF  
> but this is a series continuation, because ever since Angelic I have looked up the voice actors of the other Smash anime men and found out that Robin's voice actor, Yoshimasa Hosoya, has the most incredible voice I've heard. Also, fun fact, he voices Shigure from Fates, so this guy sings the fucking ocean's grey waves. Listen to it, it's absolutely gorgeous. Anyways, I edited this with an editor you use for your 9th grade essays, so if some things don't make sense or I didn't catch a thing or two, please don't be afraid to tell me! Please enjoy, and thank you for reading!

_It was all so distant to her. The sound of a voice singing words to her that she could repeat years later without skipping a beat, the kind hand brushing her hair back as she fell to sleep before leaving her alone in bed. Yet all so familiar. As if it had happened yesterday._

 

 

 

Lucina remembered the same lullaby Robin sung her to sleep with all of those years ago, in the doomed timeline of her future, where Robin was no longer around. She remembered the deep tone of his voice. The way he reached higher pitched notes, and the way he smoothed through the lower pitched notes. Robin had a lovely voice, that was for certain, and Lucina hated to admit that part of her sleeping problems come from the fact that she can't listen to Robin sing her to sleep every night.

But where would that get her?

The cold Feroxi nights did nothing to help her sleep, and despite how many blankets she wrapped around herself there was always a way that the cold managed to seep through the fabric and chill her to the bone once more. She was on a schedule in this time, she had to reach Basilio and become his champion before her Father made it to Regna Ferox himself. But she couldn't get any damn sleep...

A soft growl rumbled in her throat as she sat up straight, blinking her fatigued eyes at the outside world before huffing and holding her face in her hands. This was all irritating... If she couldn't get one moment of shut-eye Lucina thought she'd go insane. She was already fatigued as it was from her tight schedule and her constant trekking to where Basilio would be. Only a miracle would put her to sleep at this rate.

And a miracle came to her. She remembered the tome Robin made for her to help her sleep at night.

She had been a stubborn child when it came to slumber, and the only for sure method to put her to sleep was to have Robin sing to her. Of course, duty called for him elsewhere at many times, so he created a tome with a pre-made voice over of himself singing so Lucina could have a good night's rest every night. Lucina had kept that tome close to her at all times, rivaling her doting over her father's last memory as she occasionally flipped through pages to see what Robin had written.

A bunch of scribbles here, some fancy words there...

Lucina only had to utter a few words to allow the tome to work its magic. Was it worth revealing her place to bandits, however?

A soft yawn fell past her lips, and her eyes narrowed into a glare. Yes, it was definitely worth it if she could sleep.

Lucina scavenged for the tome within her pockets, and fished it out only to stare at the intricate cover design. Was she really having a tome sing her a lullaby so she could sleep? It was completely ridiculous...

"Sing for me."

But it wasn't ridiculous enough to stop her.

Magically a soft tune floated around her ears, creating a content sigh from Lucina as she laid the tome next to her and bundled under her blankets tightly. Robin's voice soothed her where the howling winds outside of her shelter could not, brought her peace that she so desperately desired, and within no time she was fast asleep just as the tome reached its ending lines.

Only faint flickers of magic danced over the book as Lucina slept soundly, full of warmth and entirely serene by the song she had just listened to.

 

 

 

Emmeryn's death should be eradicated from time. There shouldn't have been a failure. She did everything... But did one thing wrong.

Lucina's shoulders trembled with quelled sobs as she sat back against an old oak tree, her knees brought to her chest and her voice catching slightly along with her mourning. Fate always found a way to loop around an attempt at breaking history. Lucina just prolonged Emmeryn's life by ending her assassination attempt and revealed her face to her father as a result of her own carelessness.

Nothing she was doing was correct. There was failure on the heels of her feet wherever she walked, and sure defeat wherever she left. Lucina felt hopeless, like anything she did would only cause Grima's revival to come closer, but all she could do was cry. Allow herself weakness if just for a moment just to make herself feel better. How selfish...

"Hello? Is anyone out there?"

Lucina's voice hitched into a pause. That was Robin calling for her. And she didn't have her mask with her anymore to hide her identity. In a rush, Lucina quickly managed to take some spare cotton material from her satchel and wrap it around her eyes before the crunch of leaves made their way right next to her location. Robin was by no means dense, and could see right through Lucina's attempted cool façade as her lip trembled and her breaths came out unevenly.

"Marth? Why are you out here?"

No interrogation. Thank the gods that Lucina was lucky enough getting noticed by Robin instead of someone else. He always knew her better than most did after all...

"Sir... Sir Robin. I've heard the news that Exalt Emmeryn has died recently."

Without taking off the blindfold, Lucina could practically feel the wince that came from Robin at the fresh memory. It was painful to bring up, but... Avoiding the subject would do them no good if they were to get to the point.

"..Yes. The Exalt is gone."

Lucina's lips curled into a frown, as she deciphered that Robin was not being as bold spoken and intelligent as he usually was. His voice was somber, his tone blunt. She understood how he felt, as he understood her own feelings.

"I... I'm sorry I wasn't there to help."

Robin's eyebrows raised, and Lucina moved to her feet unsteadily to properly address him although she was in no condition for a proper conversation. "Emmeryn's death had nothing to do with you, Marth," Robin spoke, his words cutting like a razor-sharp blade through her pride although he was ignorant to her true role in everything. She grit her teeth, fresh tears threatening to soil the material at her eyes, but she held them back and pushed her chin up in a fashion very similar to how her father told her. 'Be strong' he said, holding her shoulders as he tilted her chin up, 'And always believe there is room for improvement'.

"It had everything to do with me. I swore myself to make sure her death would never occur. And it has happened."

Lucina bit her tongue as soon as the words left her mouth. She shouldn't have said that in front of Robin. He was probably analyzing her words and constructing a response that would call her out for being aware of such an event. But Robin did not speak for a moment. When he did, there was no venom in his tone. It was gentle, like a tender stroke from a loving mother to her child.

"I had responsibility to plan out our method of returning Emmeryn safely. I failed my friends, I failed Ylisse, and I failed Emmeryn. There is no worse sin to commit in this life than to misjudge a situation as terribly as I did and get someone killed."

An empty space held between them for a long time. Neither of them wished to speak any further about the situation, but they both required the comfort of knowing that they were not entirely at fault. Humans are always like this, trying to find a way to better their reputation after they have done something wrong. Except neither of them did anything wrong. They were simply too prideful to admit that everyone else had a role in the inevitable.

Robin's breath fluttered into the open air, and Lucina could feel a gloved hand rest upon her shoulder and give a soft squeeze before that heavy heat pulled away and she was left cold. "Marth... There are probably things going on in your mind that I can't see. But... Please know, it wasn't your fault. And it will never be your fault."

A sniffle came into the open air, and Lucina noticed she was crying after she brought a hand to her cheek and felt the wetness trickling down ever so slowly. Weakness. Failure. But Lucina didn't feel her sins with Robin reassuring her, holding them away from her to bear them on his shoulders, not hers. He was always like this. Lucina's lip trembled, a slight movement before she barreled into Robin's chest and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Loud sobs became silenced by Robin's clothing.

Arms encircled her ever so slowly, and Lucina realized that she was a stranger to him, but Robin held her as if she was his child and she needed comfort after so long. It hurt to think of what the future held, what the future would do to destroy her family... But now, nothing seemed to matter, and she let her tears continue to flow as Robin's voice soothed her through her shudders and hitches.

 

 

 

Despite having revealed her identity to her father only a few days ago, she was still rather secretive and kept to herself instead of conversing with others. When her Aunt Lissa asked her questions about how she was in the future, Lucina gave the blunt reply that she was fine. When Uncle Frederick asked her about political affairs and what exactly happened in the future, Lucina told him that time was altered past the first attempt on Emmeryn's life being stopped, and nothing was the same as it was back then.

The only Shepherds she could confide in were Henry, Sumia, her father and Robin. They didn't bother her with questions she didn't want to answer, and treated her as a friend and ally, not a poor girl from a grim timeline. She didn't need pity. But she did, however, seem to want affection, as she would hold on tight during hugs or grip too tight during handshakes. It was odd... But not anything Sumia or Chrom minded in the least. Henry mimicked her actions until they both started hurting from the bruises they would give each other, and Robin was iffy about physical contact.

But the gentle grip of Lucina's hand on his shoulder and in his own hand didn't put off Robin in the slightest.

It was Lucina's birthday, and the Shepherds held her as grand of a party as they could manage with their meager supplies. A food feast that was strictly managed by Frederick, a surprise wake up party from Chrom and Robin, little gifts and trinkets from the town nearby... Lucina claimed the Shepherds were spoiling her, but they told her that claim was nonsense. They did it for every birthday.

At the end of the day, after the feast, Lucina received requests for dances from various people as music was graciously provided by local musicians eager to please Lord Chrom. Virion danced with her first, claiming that she should dance with the best to get a proper taste of what it's like, then Gaius, then Chrom, all the way down the line until Robin was last. He had honest to Naga tried to avoid dancing the whole time, but Lucina's pleading gaze made him give in. With a dramatic flourish of his coat that made the camp burst into soft laughter, Robin offered his hand to Lucina with a gentle smile. "May I have this last dance, birthday girl?" came his teasing tone, no hint of a challenge in his voice whatsoever.

And of course Lucina accepted.

So there they were, spinning around slowly in circles, listening to the music hum in their ears as the sun dipped past the horizon and night began to fall over the camp. Robin hummed softly with the music, the tune being a familiar thing to him and just wanting to hum for the fun of it, until Lucina kept staring at him. "You know this song, Robin?"  
An innocent question, of course, but Robin did not know the song that the musicians were passionately orchestrating for their dance at that very moment. A shake of his head, and Lucina's gaze seemed to dull before she looked down. "I see... Just a question."

Robin's insatiable curiosity peaked at the defeated look Lucina sported, unsure of why Lucina was so disheartened by his affirmation that he didn't know the song the musicians were playing. "Why do you have such a look, Lucina?" Robin's voice asked delicately, the girl bringing her eyes up to his before sighing and letting her lashes flutter shut. He just got the briefest glimpse of her Exalt's Brand in her left eye, reminding him that this was Chrom's daughter and not a girl he should look after so much.  
"This song... When I was just a young child, you would sing this to me so I could fall asleep. It was very difficult to put me to bed, I admit, so you singing to me every night made me sleep almost instantly. Like magic."

That last part was breathed out, Lucina's eyes re-opening just in time for Robin to see a glimpse of sadness before it was quickly glazed over by stoicism.

"I see... Do you wish for me to stop then?"

"No! Gods no, Robin... I actually enjoy it very much. Your voice is wonderful."

They had started moving slower than they were before, simply rocking back and forth on their feet as the music entered a softer pace. Robin smiled, a small, sweet smile, before beginning to hum again. He allowed Lucina to press close to his chest, continuing to hum softly for her until she began to get heavier in his arms and stopped moving. Robin looked down at Lucina to see that she had fallen asleep in his arms, and he couldn't suppress a fond laugh at the sight.

In these moments, where war and loss wasn't biting at their heels, Robin could relax at the sight of his comrades being so joyous. Especially Lucina, considering all she has been through in her timeline.

Robin made a gesture towards the band off to the side, and they stopped playing their music before bowing graciously and thanking the Shepherds for having them on such a special occasion. Chrom had come over to ask why Robin had stopped so early, but from glancing at Lucina he stopped his words and laughed softly himself at the display.  
"She must be from dancing so much..."

Allowing Chrom to carry Lucina to her bed for the night, as Robin hadn't been feeling very strong lately, they both laid her down to rest and did their respective gestures before departing to sleep themselves. Chrom, brushing some hair away from her forehead to lay a soft kiss, and Robin, gently cupping her cheek and brushing it with his thumb to remind himself that she was still here. After all, it was on him to make sure she was never harmed again during their battles.

 

 

 

The world was a cruel place.

The ones you love could be the ones you have to end, because deep inside they could be monsters. They could simply be used to give you false hope that everything is alright, and you could trust them.

Robin was Grima's Vessel. It hurt Lucina to think this man would be the one to kill her friends and family.

She was going to end it all today, and make sure her family would suffer no longer.

It was a beautiful afternoon, far too beautiful for what Lucina was going to do to Robin in this place. Her grip on Falchion was so hard her knuckles were white, but her eyes remained cast forward as she approached Robin near the trees. He seemed pleased to see her... Her eyes became moist at the thought that she was going to kill him.

"Robin... You know, my father is a great man..."

A beat for Robin's response, then darkness cast over Lucina's face once more.

"He's an amazing man. This world would be worse if it were rid of him... I will not allow that to happen."

Metal grinding against her sheath broke the still air, and Robin stepped backwards as the tip of Falchion pointed at him.

"Lucina--"

"Stand down, Robin. I don't want to make this harder than it has to be... Please... Let me do this."

Going into her stance felt like moving through lead, but she managed to make it there and hold her position as Robin stared down her blade from a short distance. "Lucina, wait a moment..-"

"Do you love my father, Robin? If you did, you would let me do this. I can't afford to lose him again if I can stop it!"

Robin's eyes were wide, his pupils nearly nonexistent.

It seemed like an eternity before Robin relaxed his stance and breathed out a tense breath, smiling sadly at Lucina and ridding himself of his tomes and weapons. The soft thump of his tools landing at his feet almost made Lucina wince, but she kept her focus on Robin. If she would have blinked in that instant, she would have almost missed the way Robin's fingers brushed over his right hand, right where the Mark of Grima was.

"Lucina... My life belongs to you. You know this. And... If you wish to do this, I will not stop you."

It was oddly familiar how her tears stained her cheeks, yet she didn't notice it all the same.

"Robin..."

"I love you, Lucina... You're the daughter I never had. And I love your father, your aunt... All of you. Please, tell them that I care about them after I'm gone."

Falchion began trembling in her grip, before it tumbled to the ground and Lucina heaved out a choked sob. She couldn't bring herself to do this... Her father may have been a very important person in her life, but Robin was as well. Her heart felt heavy in her chest. She didn't want to stand any longer.

Collapsing into Robin's arms, Lucina let her tears flow freely and her words spew in the same fashion while Robin stroked her hair gently. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, forgive me, please..." Lucina breathed out shakily. Robin hummed softly and gently hushed her, assuring her he forgave her and everything was ok before she managed to find solace in the same way that she found rest.

His comforting voice soothed her until she fell into slumber.

 

 

 

Lucina swore she would never return to Ylisse. It was for the best that she create a life outside of the country, so her present day self and her father could have an easier life in the aftermath of Grima's Death. Lucina's mother died at an early age, in both this time and the time she came from, so her father was left to rule alone. There was no need for a wife when an heir had already been conceived, the Council reckoned, and Chrom wasn't going to look for a lover when he needed to rule his kingdom.

Besides, he couldn't love when his heart was somewhere else.

Lucina promised him letters, and told him she could not come back for the safety of him and his real daughter, but Chrom had told her she was his daughter as well. Lucina had tried to refuse the fact, but Chrom put his foot down and told her that he loved her just as much as the present day Lucina, and would never mind a visit. They departed on that note.

Walking with her father felt so familiar, in how her steps mirrored his strides, how they kept a silence that was respectable yet also that of two family members while they trekked the fields of Ylisse. Her father wasn't one for conversation, and neither was she. In some ways, they were eerily similar.

The silence ended once they caught sight of Robin, sitting under his favorite tree with his nose buried in his favorite book.

It had happened two weeks ago, a reuniting of two best friends and his reintroduction to the common life, yet Robin still insisted on coming out here just to read when he had a perfectly good library back at home. Chrom found humor in the fact that Robin didn't want to be surrounded by books, as did Lucina, but Robin simply brushed them off.

"I see you're outside again," Chrom teased softly, Robin tilting his head upwards and smiling softly at his friend before patting the spot of grass next to him. His voice was still very weak, so he refrained from talking often. Chrom and Lucina were perfectly content with that, and still conversed with Robin. Robin appreciated it more than they realized.

Fingers grazed the text leisurely, taking their time in reading every word before Robin moved the words into Lucina's view and pointed at a passage.

"Lucina..." he whispered, his voice scratchy and strained as Lucina turned to him. "This song... You like this song, correct?" Her eyes skimmed the words, a silent affirmation, and Robin beamed before humming softly. "I can sing it for you... My voice is stronger today."

The two people beside him were about to protest that he didn't need to, but the stubborn man gave them a soft glare that shut them up instantly. If there was one word they could use to describe Robin, headstrong definitely had to be one. "I want to do this," he murmured, clearing his throat to push away the rasp he had before smiling at Lucina. "It's been too long since you've had peace... I know your heart. I could feel it while I was trying to return to you."

A sense of sadness cast over them, but Robin began singing softly in the strongest voice he could manage. Aside from the words being a bit hoarse and off-key at points, Robin still pushed through and Chrom was in awe while Lucina blinked lazily in response. Before she knew it, her head had softly thumped on Robin's shoulder, but Robin merely pulled her in to fully rest on him as she felt her awareness fading and her eyes closing.

It was peace that brought her back to Ylisse... Through Robin's song pulsing through her heart, and the knowledge that this peace would last forever because of him.  
A smile stretched across her face, and she fell to deep slumber knowing that she could now sleep easy without ever having to worry about surviving until the next day.


End file.
